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Management suites come up short

Vendor presentations--witnessed in the comfort of the executive board room--enthusiastically tout storage management suites (SMS) that seamlessly integrate across Windows, Unix and Novell operating systems, no matter whether on a storage area network (SAN), in network-attached storage (NAS) or even direct-attached storage (DAS). Sales reps promise staggering ROIs. Feature checklists are long, and include real-time reporting on storage utilization as well as the visualization and virtualization of the storage infrastructure. Welcome to storage heaven. Trying to make a mission-critical decision about an SMS based on a PowerPoint presentation is, of course, ridiculous. Before you subject yourself to slideware, take a good look at what processes you have and will need to develop to manage storage. Decide what your priorities are for automating those processes--not everything can be functionally or economically reduced to a click or a wizard. What CreekPath Systems offers With all of the attention given to larger players and their ...

With long feature checklists, astonishing ROIs and seamless integration, storage management suites can seem like storage paradise. But look closely, and you may find that what you get isn't what you wanted to see.

Every large enterprise can benefit from some kind of consolidation. But the benefits come at a price. Despite the hype, consolidation is a long process that can be complicated. Bottom line: You may have to wait to cash in on the benefits, but they will come.

Snapshot and replication are important tools in building a foolproof disaster recovery plan. This article helps you pick the optimal solution that fits within your budget and is best suited for your company's individual backup needs.

Let's face it: SANs as they currently exist only deliver about half of what you might hope for in the way of efficiency and optimal utilization. The best bet to deliver the other 50% is network-based storage intelligence. You'll have to get past the magic-wand claims for this latest pancea from storage vendors, though. And not every incarnation of smart switches or appliances is going to be right for you.

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Storage Bin: Your life might be getting more complicated. Make that will be getting more complicated, as compliance with government regulations for data retention become a real requirement for storage.